29-Apr-2015

5 reasons behind co-stupidity

It is easier to manipulate people in groups. Read on to find out how even small groups can put us under pressure without us even being aware of it.

1. RulesPeople like to behave in conformity with group opinions because they want to make a good impression on others. Many people feel unhappy or insecure if they have to advance an opinion that differs from the views of the majority. They believe they provoke a feeling of antipathy or aversion among other group members.

2. InformationPeople often don't have all the information they need in specific situations and use the information of others to make up for the deficit. Conformity is therefore a consequence of people trying to avoid insecurity by relying on the opinion of the majority and accepting it under certain circumstances. The more a situation is unclear, the stronger the conformity.

3. SituationIf a group is in a difficult and almost hopeless situation, i.e. nobody from outside can help the group and there is no objectively verifiable information, the pressure to rely on the community increases.

4. PersonalityPressure to conform also increases if we have a strong need for acknowledgment and assurance as well as low self-esteem. We feel better and stronger in a group when facing strangers.

5. GroupA strong feeling of solidarity, a hierarchy and a high convergence of opinions within a group increase the pressure to conform. The more these factors apply, the higher the probability of a complete and uncritical assimilation to the group.